Oscar Piastri secured victory in the final sprint race of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix, following Lando Norris's dominant performance from pole position. Norris, in a gesture of reciprocity, allowed his teammate to pass at the last moment, acknowledging Piastri's earlier sacrifice in Brazil. This strategic move sealed a McLaren one-two finish at the Lusail Circuit, significantly boosting their bid for the constructors’ championship against Ferrari. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished fourth and fifth for Ferrari, while George Russell secured third place for Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton following in sixth. Nico Hülkenberg finished seventh for Haas, and Max Verstappen, already crowned drivers’ champion, took eighth place.
McLaren, aiming to reclaim the constructors’ title since their last win in 1998, entered the race leading Ferrari by 24 points. This lead was extended to 30 points after the sprint race, requiring McLaren to outscore Ferrari by an additional 15 points in Qatar to secure a 45-point advantage before the final round in Abu Dhabi. Norris admitted that the team had instructed him not to yield his position but felt compelled to do so. “We’re happy as a team,” he said. “It was probably a bit closer than I wanted, but I had planned to do that since Brazil. The team told me not to do it, but I thought we could do it. I am not here to win sprint races. I want to win the championship and I haven’t done that.”
Norris had dominated the race from the start, leading from pole and maintaining his position into the first turn. Piastri overtook Russell for second place, while Hamilton advanced to fifth, passing both Verstappen and Leclerc. Verstappen struggled at the start, experiencing low grip and oversteer, causing him to lose positions through the opening corners. The McLarens demonstrated strong pace early on but could not shake off Russell, who remained close to Piastri. The two engaged in a fierce battle, with Piastri refusing to yield, a contest that would persist over the 19 laps.
Norris slightly eased off to allow Piastri to gain DRS and attempt to break away from Russell, which proved effective. Piastri managed to create a DRS gap on Russell, reducing the threat. However, Russell, known for his straight-line speed, retaliated, leading to another intense duel. Piastri defended resolutely, much to Russell's frustration. Leclerc and Hamilton, set to be teammates at Ferrari next year, also engaged in a thrilling battle through the opening turns on lap 13, with Leclerc narrowly edging out Hamilton to take fifth place.
McLaren then instructed Norris to ease off again to pull Piastri forward for the final laps, which he did, bringing his teammate back within DRS range. Russell continued to press, resulting in a tense finish. Piastri managed to hold his position for the final lap, and Norris eased up as they approached the finish line, allowing Piastri to claim the win in a risky but successful maneuver.
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